The Wisdom of Teeth
by suzie2b
Summary: And maybe a little humor. Tully has to have some teeth pulled.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **The Wisdom of Teeth**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **Tully sat down in the mess tent for dinner with another bowl of oatmeal. Troy looked across the table at him and said, "You've been eating nothing but oatmeal for three days, Tully."**

 **He swallowed a spoonful, then said, "This and the coffee are the only things they have I don't have to chew."**

 **Moffitt smiled. "I did some checking around. There's a field hospital at Safita. There's a dentist there. Tomorrow is our last day here…"**

 **Tully sighed. "We'll be back at base in couple more days. I can wait." He took a bottle of aspirin out of his jacket pocket and shook three tablets into his hand.**

" **How many of those are you taking a day now?"**

 **Tully shrugged. "Don't keep count." He swallowed the pills with several sips of coffee.**

 **That night, Tully swallowed three more aspirin before laying down on his cot in the tent he was sharing with Hitch. Pain surged through his head and face as he laid there waiting for the aspirin to kick in.**

 **Two hours later Hitch walked in and found Tully laying with one arm over his eyes, groaning softly. "It's getting worse, isn't it?"**

 **Tully moved his arm and looked up at him. "Aspirin isn't helping anymore."**

" **We've got morphine."**

" **No thanks." Tully sat up and even that movement made him wince.**

 **Hitch sat on the other cot. "You're not going to be able to sleep. Why don't you go to medical and ask them for something that's stronger than aspirin but not morphine."**

 **Tully stood up slowly. "Yeah, I think I'll do that."**

 **After he left, Hitch went to Troy and Moffitt's tent to talk to them.**

 **#########################**

 **Morning came and Tully had slept some after being given codeine by a sympathetic nurse. It was wearing off though and he was dozing fitfully when Moffitt came in, patted his shoulder, and said, "It's time to get going, Tully."**

 **He didn't open his eyes when he mumbled, "Where to?"**

 **Moffitt smiled. "I'm taking you to Safita to see that dentist." Tully opened one eye and looked up the sergeant. "It's only an hour away." The private sighed and slowly sat up. "What … no argument?"**

 **Tully didn't look at him. "You're right. I can't wait for us to get back to Ras Tanura."**

 **After he'd sat there unmoving for a time, Moffitt said, "Come on. Get your boots on."**

" **If I lean down, my head's going to pop off."**

 **With a good humored sigh, Moffitt knelt down and helped Tully get his boots on. As he was tying them, he smiled and said, "You owe me for this, you know?"**

 **Tully just said, "Thanks, sarge."**

 **At the motor pool, Troy and Hitch watched as a very solemn Tully got into the jeep's passenger seat without a word.**

 **Troy said to Moffitt, "I take it he didn't give you any problem."**

 **The sergeant shook his head. "He's really quite miserable."**

" **Well, you get him to Safita. Hitch and I will be there this afternoon."**

" **Where are you two off to then?"**

 **Troy said, "Just talked to Boggs. He wants to know if the oasis at Gabal is clear. We're headed over there to check it out."**

 **#########################**

 **At the field hospital, Moffitt stopped in front of the medical tent. "You wait here, Tully. I'll find out where the dentist is." A few minutes later he returned with a doctor. "This is your patient, Dr. Flores."**

 **One look at Tully's swollen jaw and Dr. Flores said, "Oh mi dios! You weren't kidding when you said he needs help. Let's get him inside."**

 **Tully sat down on a wooden chair and the doctor sat down on another facing him. Dr. Flores picked up his dental mirror and pick as he said, "All right, private, open up please." Tully opened his mouth as far as he could, which wasn't far because of the pain and swelling. "Tell me when it hurts."**

 **Dr. Flores tapped several teeth before he hit on one that got a response. Tully jerked back as pain flared through his head. He put his hand on his cheek and mumbled, "That's one of 'em. Don't do that again."**

 **The doctor gave a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry. It would appear that your wisdom teeth are impacted."**

 **Tully looked at Moffitt. "What's that mean?"**

 **Moffitt said, "It means that your jaw is too small to accommodate all of your teeth."**

 **Dr. Flores nodded. "Sí. Your wisdom teeth are pushing on your other teeth and jaw."**

 **Tully asked, "Can you fix it?"**

" **I will operate and remove the wisdom teeth."**

" **That's the only way?"**

 **The doctor nodded again. "I'm afraid so, private."**

 **Tired of the pain, Tully sighed. "Okay, let's get this over with."**

" **Good. I will have my assistant take you for x-rays while I secure a surgery space."**

 **Moffitt said curiously, "I'm surprised you don't have a tent of your own to do your work in."**

 **Dr. Floes sighed. "All of my equipment, with the exception of this dental kit, were destroyed by the Germans as I was coming here last month. The hospital has been kind enough to help me out until new equipment arrives."**

 **After the x-rays were done, Tully was taken to the surgical tent. He was told to take off his jacket and lay down on a gurney while the dental assistant prepared an IV.**

 **Tully looked at the needle and said, "Back home the dentist uses laughing gas."**

 **The assistant smiled. "Our nitrous oxide was destroyed along with everything else." She handed him a pill and a cup of water. "This will relax you. The IV is the anesthetic. You'll sleep through the whole operation and not remember a thing."**

 **#########################**

 **When Troy and Hitch showed up at the Safita field hospital, they found Moffitt sitting next to a cot, where Tully slept peacefully with a mouth full of rolled gauze.**

 **Troy asked, "How'd it go?"**

 **Moffitt smiled. "The dentist took his wisdom teeth out."**

 **Hitch winced. "All four of them?"**

" **Yes. He's going to be uncomfortable for a few days, but any pain he has when he wakes up will be easily taken care of with just two aspirin."**

 **There was a groan as Tully started to wake up. His eyes opened slowly and he looked up at his friends.**

 **Troy smiled. "How's it goin', Tully?"**

 **He mumbled something through the gauze that vaguely resembled, "It's goin'."**

 **Tully reached up, intending to take the gauze out of his mouth, but Moffitt caught his hand. "Don't touch. Dr. Flores will be along shortly to take care of it. Any pain?" Tully shook his head slowly. "Numb?" A slow nod.**

 **Dr. Flores walked up with a smile. "Aha, I see our patient is awake."**

 **Moffitt said, "Just now in fact."**

 **The doctor traded places with Moffitt and sat down. He eyed the private critically, then said, "I'm going to remove the gauze now." Dr. Flores gently pulled the gauze rolls out of Tully's mouth. "Open please." The doctor examined his handiwork and said, "You should heal up nicely. Stick to soft foods for a few days … until the stitches come out."**

 **Tully furrowed his brow. "Stitches?"**

" **Sí. They are very small and shouldn't give you any problems. I understand you will be at your base of operations in a day or so. You can have them removed there. The swelling should go down over the next few days. Take aspirin for any pain or discomfort."**

" **Thanks, doc."**

" **Glad to have been of service, private. Tenga cuidado, mi amigo."**

 **After Dr. Flores walked away, Tully started to sit up. Moffitt and Hitch steadied him until he was situated on the edge of the cot with his feet on the floor. Hitch asked, "How's your head feel?"**

 **Tully sighed, "A little fuzzy yet, but it's starting to clear." He put his hands on his cheeks and frowned. "Got a mirror?"**

 **Moffitt said, "The doctor did say the swelling would go down in a few days."**

 **Tully said, "How much swelling are we talking about? It was bad enough before the operation."**

" **It's really not too bad."**

 **Tully didn't believe the sergeant and growled, "Gimme a mirror."**

 **Troy found one and said with a smile, "You sure?"**

 **Tully's frown deepened as he snatched the mirror. His eyes opened wide as he looked at his swollen jaw and cheeks. "I look like a chipmunk!"**

 **Hitch grinned. "Nah, chipmunks are cute and furry."**

 **Troy chuckled. "Just think of the sympathy you'll get from Charley when you get home."**

 **Tully tried to smile, but his face wouldn't cooperate. "There is that." He looked at Troy. "When are we leaving?"**


End file.
